Beet-topping machine



(No Model.)

A HUNTER BEBT TOPPING MACHINE.

Patented Nov. 12, 1895.

- INVENTEIR WITNE-EEE [fl/I MM UNITED STATES I PATENT OFFICE.

ANDREW HUNTER, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

BEET-TOPPING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 549,671, dated November12, 1895. Application filed December 17, 1894. Serial No. 532,069.(NoiuodeL) T 0; whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ANDREW HUNTER, a citizen of the United States,residing in-the city and county of San Francisco, State of California,have invented a new and useful Beet- Topping Machine, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates especially to a machine employed for topping beetsbefore they are removed from the ground, and has for its object theproduction of a device that will remove the tops from growing beets inthe field in a rapid and most satisfactory manner.

To such end my invention consists, mainly, in the described constructionand combina tion of shoe or runner mounted on wheels, a topping blade orknife attached by pivots to the top of the runner and extendingtherefrom laterally and in horizontal position, a hand-bar rigidlysecured to the shank of the blade at the line of the pivots and adaptedfor raising and lowering the blade to adjust the same from the driversseat, and a presser-board arranged in front of the blade to bend downthe beet-tops, having means for throwing it into and out of action.These parts are constructed for operation substantially as hereinafterexplained.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification,Figure 1 represents a longitudinal section of the machine, taken aboutthe line 00 as, Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a top view of the machine.

. A A B indicate the hind wheels. and axle, and D D the side bars of themachine-frame. The two side bars are joined at the front by a cross-barJ, at the middle of which is placed a single central caster-wheel E. Atthe front ends of the side bars are fastened clevises for attaching thedraft-animals. A drivers seat V is supported by a curved spring W overthe middle of the axle.

H indicates a narrow shoe or runner formed of a flat bar,with'upwardly-curved ends at front and rear, by means of which it isfastened to the middle of the cross-bar J at the front and to the axleat the rear end. The

runner is bent to bring the main or body portion in horizontal positionflat upon the surface of the ground over which the machine is drawn, andthe end portion of the upwardly-curved front is bent at right anglesoutward from the cross-bar and thence upwardly and then backwardly tothe cross-bar to produce the rectangular part in which the post iscarried. This post is inserted through sockets formed in the top andbottom bars of this rectangular frame and is held in place by thecollars G G. This construction is seen in Fig. 1.

To the top face of the runner His attached the cutter N in such positionthat it sets laterally and in a horizontal position when at work to oneside of the runner.

The form and the manner of attaching the cutter to the runner are wellshown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The cutting-blade N is secured at oneend to a flat plate L, which may be termed the shank or body of thecutter, and from this plate it extends laterally and with a backwardinclination but in the same general plane, so that it gives a shear cutas it advances against the beet-tops. The angular brace X is placed atthe back to strengthen the blade. On the front and the rear end of theplateL are formed trunnions, for which bearings are provided on the topof the runner in angle-plates K, fastened on the'runner, and on thesecenters the plate L is adapted to be tilted and moved toward one side orthe other. Such movements of the plate cause the cutting-blade to assumepositions at different angles approaching or departing from thehorizontal, and thus by tilting or moving the plate on these pivots thecutter is raised to clear obstructions or to accommodate inequalities ofsurface over which. it may be passing or to bring it into position forwork. These adjustments are effected from the drivers seat by means ofthe hand-bar N, that is fixed at the lower end in a socket hi on the topof the plate L, and from that point of attachment it stands upwardly inconvenient reach of the driver.

To the front cross-bar of the frame between the point where the runneris secured and the longitudinal slide-bar is attached the presserboardQ, the function of which is to bend down the beet tops toward thesurface of the ground in advance of the cutter. This part Q is made of aflat board and is attached to the machineframe by a hinge P, placed onthe upper face of the board at or near its front end, and from thispoint of attachment the board extends toward the surface of the groundat an angle inclining backward and setting at the lower end closely tothe ground in front of the cutter.

A curved spring R, bearing on the back or upper face of the board, actsto hold it down in working position, and the lower end of the board isconnected by a short chain U with the end of a hand-lever T, whichlast-mentioned means is provided for the driver to raise the board whenit is necessary to clear obstructions.

The spring R is attached to the top of the cross-bar at S and thehand-lever is pivoted to the inner side-of the side barD on a stud, asseen in Fig. 2. As thus constructed and combined, the operation of theseparts is as follows: \Vhen the machine is drawn along over the field theinclined presser-board coming in contact with the standing tops acts tobend them downward toward the horizontal and away from the cutter andholds them down until the cutter strikes and severs them from the bulb,the tail end of the presser-board being set at such distance in advanceof the cutter that the edge of the knife strikes the bulb before the topis released. By means of the hand-bar N the driver adjusts the cutter tothe inequalities of the ground from time to time or raises the cutter toclear obstructions. Ordinarily the range of angular movement in thecutter will vary from four inches above the surface to two inches belowthe surface to enable the cutter to operate on the highest and thelowest growing ones of the beets. The driver while guiding the team alsokeeps the bar N in hand to adjust its position, as the condition of thesurface and the position of the beets may seem to require.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. In a beet-topping machine, the combination in a suitable framemounted on wheels, of the horizontal-runner H, the cutter N extendinglaterally outward therefrom, said cutter consisting of the pivoted shankL, a backwardly inclined blade N and the adjustable hand-bar Nconstructed for operation as set forth.

2. In a beet-topping machine, the combination in a suitable framemounted 011 wheels, of the horizontal runner H, the laterally projecting cutter N having a shank L which is pivoted to the top face of therunner and is capable of a tilting movement on its pivots, the inclinedpresser-board Q having a hinge connection at its front and higher endwith the machine frame, a spring applied to the back surface below thehinge, the lifting-lever '1. attached to the lower end of thepresser-board and the upright hand-bar N attached to the shank of thepivoted cutter for adjusting the working position of the cutter withreference to the surface of the ground, substantially as described.

Theherein-described machine consisting of the frame constructed of theaxle 13, bars D D J and wheels A A, the narrow runner 1.[ havingupwardly bent ends at front and rear and secured thereby to the frontcross-bar and the axle respectively, the cutting-blade N pivoted to thetop of the runner and extending laterally to one side and substantiallyin the same plane with the runner, the uprighthandbar N attached to thecutter at the line of its pivot for raising and lowering said cutter,the backwardly inclined presser-board Q hinged at the front end to theframe, a spring R adapted to hold down the tail-end of the board, alever '1 connected to the said board for raising the same and theswiveling caster-wheel at the front of the frame, arranged for operationas set forth.

I11 testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand andseal.

ANDREW HUNTER. [L. s]

\Vitnesses C. W. M. SMITH, LEE D. CRAIG.

